Shuttle-threader.



H. L. LITGHPIELD.

SHUTTLE THREADER. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6, 1 911.

Patented Dec. 24,1912.

4 UNITEDs AT sPATENT onnrgE i HERBERT L. LI'rcHFiELD, or SOU THIBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.-

sHUTTLE-THREADER.

To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, HERBERT L. LITCH- FIELD, a citizen of the'United States, resid- Improvement ing' at Southbridge, county of Worcester,

State of Massachusetts, have invented an in Shuttle-Threaders, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characterson the drawing representing like part-s. w This invention has for its object to provide a novel shuttle-threading implement by means of which the shuttle thread can be quickly drawn through the eye of any ordinary shuttle.

My improved. implement is provided with a stiff shank which terminates in an ex- I tremely flexible resilient hook portion, the

' end of which is bent back on itself to form an open eye. The resilient hook portion can readily be inserted through the eye of a shuttle and the distance which it can be thus inserted is determined by the stiff shank, for the shank is of such a stifiness that it will not bend or flex and will not, therefore, enter the shuttle eye. The flexible hook portionis of such a length that when the implement is inserted through the shuttle eye as far as the shank will permit the open eye at the end of the hook portion stands above the shuttle at the proper point to permit the operator to readily thread the yarn into the open eye, and further the stilf shank portion serves to hold the threader in this position while the operator is threading the open eye, all as will be more fully hereinafter described and then pointed out in the appended claim.

Referring to the drawings wherein I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view through a shuttle showing the manner 1n whlch my threader is used; Fig. 2 1s a view of the threader; Fig. 3 is a view similar Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed June 6,1911. serial No.1631,600.

Patented Dec. 24,1912.

elastic so that it can be readily bent into portion 3 is curved throughout itslength'so that the curve thereof begins at thepoint 1 where it connects with the stiff shank 1.

The tip or end of the hook portion 3 is bent inwardly slightly, as shown at 5, and then is formed into the reverse curve or hook portion 6, the tip 7 of which is spaced slightly from the portion 5 to form an open eye at the end. Further, the'tip 7 is situated in-- side of a tangential line indicated by the dotted line 8, the presently described. y

In Fig. 1 I have shown mythreader in use 'for'threading a shuttle such as shown in my purpose of which will be former Patent No. 979,865, December 27,

1910, said view showing a shuttle 9 in cross section which has a delivery eye 10 therein provided with the threadpassage 11 which opens at one side of the shuttle and extends straight in from said side for a suitable distanceand then curves upwardly andopens into the bobbin chamber.

In using my improved device for. thread ing a shuttle of this nature the flexible hook portion 3 is inserted through the shuttle.

eye as far as the stiff shank 1 will --pe1-mit,

that is, until the point 4 where the elastic hook and stilf shank join enters the eye 11, as shown in Fig. 1. When the parts have reached this position the open eye 6 willbe situated considerably abovethe shuttle and in convenient position for the thread 12m be laid into said eye'or wrapped about the end. of the hook. When the thread'is' inserted into the eye, as shown in Fig. 1, it will be quite firmly held in such position' because of the fact that the shank 1 is stiff and unyielding and when the partsreaoh the position shown in Fig. 1 the threader will bear against the delivery eye'at the points let and 15 with suflicient force to prevent it from turning around in the thread passage 11 sufficiently to carry the open eye 6 out of'its proper position: In factI find with this threader is inserted into the thread passage 4 as far as the stiff unyielding shank 1 will permit it to go, said threader will be frictionally held in'the proper position shownin Fig.1 even though the operatorlets g0.

entirely of it so that the operator can after inserting the threader, as shown, hold the construction that when the shuttle in one hand and with the other wrap the yarn 12 about the hook portion 3.

I desire to emphasize the fact that the stiff shank 1 serves as a means for limiting the extent to which the threader can be forced through the shuttle eye, and also the further fact that the length of the hook portion 3 is such that when the threader has been forced into the shuttle eye as far as the stiff shank 1 thereof will permit, the open eye 6 at the end of the threader stands above the shuttle in proper position to permit thethread 12 to be laid thereinto. The shank 1, therefore, constitutes a means for insuring that the open eye 6 will always be properly positioned and will always be held in proper position while the operator is laying the thread 12 into said eye.

A shuttle having the kind of delivery eye shown in Fig. 1 is, of course, very easy to thread with my improved threader. In some shuttles the delivery eye is of the general shape shown in Fig. 3 which comprises the lateral thread passage 16 and the vertical thread passage 17. My threader can be easily used with a shuttle of this nature, for the threader can be readily inserted through the two thread passages 16 and 17 even though they stand at right angles to each other, owing to the curved hook shape of the portion 3 together with its extreme flexibility and elasticity. In a shuttle of this construction when the threader is pushed into the thread aperture as far as the stiff shank 1 will permit it to go, the friction of the device against the walls of the thread passage will firmly hold it in position to have the thread wound about the hook thereof.

The bend 5 together with the special shape of the open eye 6 is of importance because it will be noted that because of this bend and the shape of the hook the tip 7 is situated within a tangential line illustrated at 8. As a result the point or tip 7 will not readily catch against the side of the shuttle or any corner of the shuttle eye when the threader is withdrawn.

I'Vhile a threading device which is flexible and elastic throughout its entire length might be used for threading a shuttle, yet the feature of having the comparatively stifi shank 1 at the end of which is the curved hook 3 made very flexible and elastic and curved throughits entire length from the point at where it meets the shank 1 to the tip, is extremely important because by means of this special construction the threader can not only be used for threading almost any shuttle regardless of the shape of the thread passage through the shuttle eye, but when the device is inserted into the thread passage, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the friction thereof against the walls of the thread passage will hold the threader in proper position so that the operator can release the threader and have both hands free to hold the shuttle and wind the thread around the point 6.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is A threader for shuttles having a stiff substantially unyielding shank and an eX- tremely flexible resilient hook portion at the end of the shank which is adapted to enter the eye of a shuttle, said hook portion having an open eye at its extremity and having such a length that when the threader is inserted into the shuttle eye as far as the stiff unyielding shank will permit, said open eye of the threader is situated above the shuttle in pro-per position to receive the thread on the bobbin.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERBERT L. LITCHFIELD.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM G. REED, SAMUEL S'. SILVA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

